Some Catholic leaders in Uttar Pradesh have welcomed a government drive to remove loud speakers from religious places in the northern Indian state. “If the government is doing it in a non-partisan way and without religious prejudices, it is to be appreciated,” says Father Anand Mathew, who quoted some reports to point out that majority of the loudspeakers removed in the past decades were from the Hindu temple tops.
The Uttar Pradesh government on April 25 began a statewide drive to remove unauthorized loudspeakers from religious places and set the volume of others within permissible limits.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar told re-porters that by May 1 morning they have removed a total of 53,942 loudspeakers and set the volume of 60,295 loudspeakers within permissible limits.
Kumar clarified that they are removing the loudspeakers from all religious places without any discrimination.
Meanwhile a senior home department official confirmed that the drive will continue in the coming days.
Those loudspeakers which have been placed without taking due permission from the district administration or the ones which are placed in excess of the permitted numbers are categorized as unauthorized, Kumar explained.
He said the administration also considered the High Court order regarding loudspeakers. After a 2017 government order on the matter, the High Court had asked it if loudspeakers at religious and public places were installed after taking permission in writing from authorities referring to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.